Tailgate does not open

PAULSKI5

MEMBER
2007 HYUNDAI SANTA FE
75,000 MILES

Tailgate does not open. All of the other doors unlock, lock, and open. It sounds like it unlocks when I press the key fob it sounds like it is unlocking and locking like it always has. But when I grab the handel the tailgate does not budge.

Tuesday, October 15th, 2013 AT 7:08 AM

5 Replies

HMAC300

MECHANIC
48,601 POSTS

It can be a couple of things, it may be a piece broke or needs to be lubed as it's not pulling the latch all the way open. You may have to get access to this by pulling inside panel off to see what is wrong. Here are diagrams to help us see what's going on below.

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Tuesday, October 15th, 2013 AT 9:30 AM

PAULSKI5

MEMBER
2 POSTS

I took off the back panel and looked at pieces and did not see anything that looked broke. Here is what Im looking at?

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Wednesday, October 16th, 2013 AT 8:03 AM

HMAC300

MECHANIC
48,601 POSTS

Your first pic didn't turn out but with the one i'm sending back check the two arrows to see if theya removing the latch. The top one may be the lock and also see if actuator -the thing with the rubber piece on it is moving it far enough. The lower rod should open the latch to open the door. But you will have to check actuator with door closed.

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Wednesday, October 16th, 2013 AT 10:21 AM

FRANK STEIN

MEMBER
1 POST

Don't want to necro a post, but I had the same issue with my Santa Fe, an older model. I removed the screws from the tailgate panel, sprayed the magical WD40 on the actuator inside the door (the moving parts that weren't moving), sprayed behind the handle, inside the handle, and then used a pair of pliers to manually pull the cable and release the latch. Once I had it open, I liberally applied (aka sprayed the hack out of) WD4 to the latch, using a screwdriver to close the latch and pliers on the cable to release the latch. Once it was working smoothly, and more importantly the outside handle was releasing all the way (protruding more than 1/4" from the tailgate), I closed the door and opened it several times. Problem solved.

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Monday, April 25th, 2016 AT 8:34 AM